These Ottawa homeowners wanted to make their kitchen a hub for hanging out as a family and for entertaining, but their kitchen was closed off from the rest of the house and didn’t feel inviting. “And like most family households, they needed a place for everything,” says designer Nathan Kyle of Astro Design Center. This meant being strategic about every inch of storage. In the course of a complete remodel, he opened the kitchen to the family room and placed a long, hardworking island in the center. Now it’s a welcoming room where everyone loves to spend time.

When it comes to kitchen planning. cabinets play one of the most important roles in both your kitchen's appearance and functionality. With so many new kitchen cabinet options out there, we narrowed down our top 6 cabinet door styles, ranging from sleek high gloss to refined shaker and rough-chic. Explore the different options available in today's kitchen world from Downsview, Aster and our house brand to find the one that's right for your dream space.

As the kitchen continues to evolve from a room with a merely utilitarian purpose to becoming the heart and soul of the home, designers strive to re-imagine and improve upon this ever more important gathering space. The new dual function of the kitchen – preparing food as well as encouraging family interaction and entertaining guests – lends itself to several key design features that continue to enhance both aesthetics and functionality of the new social hub of the home.

As our lives continue to urbanize and pick up pace, our connection to nature – natural light, organic materials, greenery - has been greatly reduced. It is a well researched fact that adding elements of natural world to interiors can help to reduce stress, improve well being and enhance creativity, focus and clarity of thought. Our design team has often looked to the natural world for inspiration for the interiors that we create. With interior trends constantly changing and evolving, we continue to seek out highest quality natural materials and organic forms to create timeless and lasting spaces. Below is a list of our favorite ways of incorporating biophillic design elements into home interiors.

This article originally appeared in Ottawa Citizen & has been excerpted from Ottawa Citizen.

Some are fun, funky or futuristic; others are sleek, elaborate or invisible. Whatever the style, the options for range hood vents are so varied that the choice can be daunting.

“It is the most difficult decision out of all the appliances,” says Jay Armstrong, store manager at Corbeil Appliances at Pinecrest Shopping Centre. “They’re all cosmetically different. They all have different features. It’s a very personal choice.”

Inspired by some of the entries in last fall’s Housing Design Awards, we polled area builders, designers and kitchen specialists for their take on what’s often referred to as the focal point of the kitchen.

Astro Designer, Dean Large shares his design process with this Before & After Rejuvenation of a Heritage Home in the Glebe.

The Restoration

Ottawa seems as though it is the city of beautiful old homes that nobody wants to care for. The city is going through a period where home owners are opting for the wrecking ball instead of spending the extra time restoring these once stunning homes. This past summer I met a fantastic family who was tired of their suburban home and opted to move into the oh-so coveted Glebe. They sought out a home in need of rejuvenation and took it upon themselves to bring it back to its former glory.

The Hilltop Retreat

Designer, Nathan Kyle is at it again! This time around, there was something different about the home. The client, an artist who is full of creativity was seeking a modern space for their new home up in the Gatineau hills. It was all about the view. Once you arrive at this home, right away you are swept away by the unbelievable view of the Gatineau Hills, the Gatineau River and the skyline of downtown Ottawa in one shot. Understanding that this home was all about the scenic view, the home was designed around just that.

"A downsizing retired couple realized their lifelong dream of living on the water with this home on the picturesque Rideau River near Ottawa, Ontario. And they wanted the decor in their new home to complement the views they loved so much outside. Because this home is smaller than their last one, they decided to forgo a dining room and put their antique dining room table in the kitchen. Working with interior designer Nathan Kyle, they created a kitchen that not only incorporates the dining room, but also suits the home’s farmhouse-inspired style.